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Avigdor Lieberman is without doubt the biggest surprise of Israel's current election campaign. When the votes are tallied in the February10th ballot, Lieberman may even beat out Labor's Ehud Barak for third place. If so, Lieberman could end up as king or queen maker by supporting wither Netanyahu or Livni for the premiership. Lieberman takes a tough stand not only against the Palestinians but also against Israeli Arabs, charging they are disloyal to the Jewish state. What is behind the electorate's obvious swing to the right? IsraCast examines why this crucial swing has transpired and will probably determine the composition of the next Israeli government.

Since the end of Operation Cast Lead, Palestinian terrorists have carried out sporadic attacks killing one IDF soldier and wounding several civilians. On February 3rd, for the first time they escalated those attacks by launching a GRAD missile at the town of Ashqelon on the Mediterranean Sea. Angry residents charged that Israel halted its recent military operation into Gaza too early and now they were again paying the price. IsraCast assessment: Today's rocketing on Ashqelon will impact on Israel's national election on February 10th. Many undecided voters may now cast their ballots for front runner Binyamin Netanyahu of the Likud or for Avigdor Lieberman's party on the far right.

US President Barack Obama has officially announced that he is sending former U.S. Senator George Mitchell to the Middle East in a new attempt to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. At a State Department news conference, Obama spoke of aggressively tackling the issue but what can realistically be expected after the recent war between Israel and Hamas? IsraCast turned to Zalman Shoval, a former Israeli ambassador to Washington, who believes president Obama will look before he leaps into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak, the architect of Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, has said the IDF achieved all its operational goals. Barak saw little or no possibility that Israel could be prosecuted internationally over its conduct of the war and quoted from U.S. President Barack Obama.

Key European leaders converged on Jerusalem in a strong show of support for Israel against Hamas arms smuggling into the Gaza Strip. But at the same time, they strongly urged Israel to use the outcome of the war in Gaza to jump-start the peace process with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the West Bank. The IsraCast analysis is that the impressive show of European as well as American backing for Israel against radical Islam is a prelude to a new world order that will be headed by President Barack Obama.

Israel's security cabinet has voted overwhelmingly to accept an Egyptian proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza. However, Defense Minister Ehud Barak warned that Israeli troops would respond severely if Hamas continues attacking Israel. But while Israeli leaders in Jerusalem were announcing the unilateral cease-fire, Hamas launched more rockets into Israel.

In Cairo, the diplomatic effort continues in the search for a solution to block future arms smuggling from Egyptian controlled Sinai into Gaza. This is a crucial Israeli goal required to prevent the Gaza Strip again becoming a ticking time bomb regardless of the UN resolution calling for an immediate and durable ceasefire. Meanwhile, Israeli is keeping moderate military pressure on Hamas as the terrorists continue to lob rockets at an estimated one-million Israeli civilians in southern Israel. At this juncture the Israeli approach appears to be a blending of military and diplomatic steps to resolve the crisis. If it does not succeed within the coming days all options maybe open.

Israeli leaders have rejected a proposal by the French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his European colleagues, calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. From President Shimon Peres on down, the Israeli officials made clear that not only must there be a stop to the eight years of Hamas rocketing, but a mechanism would also have to be in place to prevent any recurrence in the future. Meanwhile, inside the Gaza Strip, four IDF soldiers have been killed by 'friendly fire' in the campaign to root out the terrorists who have taken cover behind the civilian population.

An Israeli official says Israel will now relate with same force to attacks from Gaza as it would from any other neighboring Arab state which provoked Israel. This implies that Israel will use all military force necessary to defend its civilians, without making any distinction between political and military wings and various terror groups. The IsraCast assessment is that Israel will attempt to break the Hamas motivation to rocket Israel and the terrorists' belief that violence and not negotiation will further its goals.

Hamas has announced that its 'tahadiya' truce with Israel ended officially on Friday morning, six months after it began. A short time after the deadline, Palestinian terrorists launched fresh attacks on Israeli civilians just over the border. Israel and the Palestinians have entered a new juncture with both sides having to decide what happens now. IsraCast examines several possibilities that could lead either to an extended lull or a dangerous escalation.

The selection of a new Likud Knesset list has aroused speculation in Israel about its impact on the upcoming February 10th election. IsraCast assesses the current situation quoting Netanyahu sources who believe that security will drive this election campaign.

The Israeli election primaries moved into high gear amid escalating settler violence in Hebron and Palestinian rocketing from Gaza. This sudden shift, above and beyond its security implications, may provide Labor party leader Ehud Barak with a 'make or break' opportunity in his role as defense minister. IsraCast assesses the evolving situation against the backdrop of Hebron and Gaza - further reports will also analyze the Likud and Kadima strategies for the February 10th election.

When should Israel attack Iran's nuclear weapons facilities? IsraCast reports that Barak indicated where he stood when he briefed the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee in Jerusalem. On the burning issue of the shattered cease-fire with Hamas in Gaza, Barak stated that Israel would be ready to resume the truce, if possible.

How will President-elect Barack Obama deal with the Iranian nuclear threat, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and other Middle-East issues after he enters the White House on January 20th? Israeli officials and observers are considering the change of guard not only in Washington but also in Jerusalem, where latest polls indicate that the Likud's Bibi Netanyahu is gradually increasing his lead over Kadima's Tzipi Livni.

Likud leader Bibi Netanyahu, who is leading the polls for the February 10th election, has received the active support of Dan Meridor who clashed bitterly with Netanyahu in a former government. At a news conference, Meridor declared that despite their past differences Netanyahu was the best candidate to become Israel's next prime minister. In another surprise move, Yuval Rabin the son of the assassinated Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin of Labor, has said that he did not rule out voting for Netanyahu.

During the American presidential campaign, Israeli political figures were careful not to make any comment that might be seen as favoring either Barack Obama or John McCain. But now, Israeli officials are again voicing their positions on Middle East issues. This trend will likely continue as Israel's own election campaign gets under way.

This weekend, the U.S presidential election campaign draws to a close while Israel's gets on their way. In both campaigns, Israel's future will be intertwined in more ways than one. IsraCast looks at the American ballot on November 4th and Israel's poll is now set for February 10th.

Tzipi Livni has barely won the leadership race in Israel's ruling Kadima party weakening her chances of swiftly forming a new coalition government to replace the current cabinet headed by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Her potential partners Labor and Shas are talking tough. IsraCast forecasts that although this may be political posturing before the coalition negotiations, Livni may face a difficult task in forming a new coalition government.

Facing a plethora of police investigations, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has finally bowed out. In his ruling Kadima Party, front runners Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz, a former defense minister and IDF Chief of Staff', are now vying openly for party leadership and the chance to lead a new government coalition without going to an early election. However, IsraCast raises the possibility that Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, of the Shas ultra- orthodox Sepharadi party, may eventually determine who will become prime minister.

Although he is being investigated for political and financial corruption, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is not letting that interfere with his current contacts with both the Palestinians and Syrians. He has just briefed the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee on where things stand. However, most of the MKs told IsraCast that Olmert had no business conducting negotiations under the present circumstances and making concessions on his way out of office.